We have been busy the last month. I have also found Facebook takes up what free time I have in the evenings. I need to cut back...I have a lot of new responsibilities this year with being Room Mom for both Becca and Jack's class and I'm helping with a committee at Molly's school. I am so tired by the end of the day that "recording" our life seems like too much. I am doing this as much for M, J, and B as anything else. This is a way to remember our life later when I might have forgotten.

A few highlights: All three kids are in school this year. Molly is in Kindergarten at St. Catherine's School. She is taking it by storm and loving every minute. Jack is in Pre-K and seems to be very happy. He and his BFF Wyatt were separated this year which at first was hard on Jack. They have been in the same class for 2 years and we are neighbors who carpool. They see each other plenty. Becca is in a class for 2 days for an hour and half. Her teacher is the one Jack had when he started and I was pregnant with Boo. It's great having Becca Boo in her class. She has only been 2 times, but seems happy. Scott is off on a running trip with some guys from Sewanee. They have run the Reach The Beach Relay. They started at the top of Mt. Washington and run to the beach. 209 miles in 48 hours. They seem to be having fun and he will be home tomorrow. (THANK GOODNESS) I have been "alone" since Tuesday and I'm fried. I really thought he was coming home tonight but they are at a Nascar race in NH. Wonder what I get for all this.....

Everyone has one activity this fall. Jack is playing soccer, Becca has a music class and Molly is taking ballet and will be in Girl Scouts. (that's 2 for MEN, oh well) I will be Molly's troop leader so that's one more thing for me as well. I took Molly shopping for her new ballet things and Becca was in heaven in the "...princess store". She spied a tutu and I had to get it for her. She wore it for days on end calling it her princess. " I wear my princess mommy." Who could say NO?

Becca having a snack wearing her princess.

This table found its way into the kitchen a month or so ago and has been there ever since. It's been a great snack table.

A picture from Will's birthday when we stayed over. Em took this one. Will is like a little angel.

After Will's party when everyone was sooooo tired and need a little TV down time.

Becca playing with her baby.

She looks like a little old lady.
After the tub, they were all laying on Jack's rug laughing loudly. Luckily the camera was close by. I love how Boo is looking at Molly. The two of them have been playing together a lot lately. Boo is into babies and dolls now. They are really cute together.

Laughing.

All clean and in jammies.

Becca Boo ready for first day of school. She took her favorite book, Gossie and Gertie, to school since she couldn't take her passie. It was her school lovey which Miss Elizabeth liked too.

I am off to do some of my room duties. Will do better. jgn

Becca in the sink

Becca has started this funny way of talking lately. It started a while back when we were in the car. She yelled out "Passie on the toe". Sure enough, I looked back and there was her passie sitting on her toe. Now, she'll say things like, "Passie in the pocket", "cup on the table" in a sing- songy way. The other day we had guacamole for afternoon snack. It got all over her so I took her to the sink to clean up. She looked at me and said "Becca in the sink". So filled it up with water and gave her a bath. I LOVE my new sink for this very reason. I wish I had it when she was a baby baby.

Painting

I have not gone away. I have been tired. Like really tired. After the kids are in bed, the kitchen is cleaned and a load or 2 of laundry done, it's hard to sit down at the computer. (without falling asleep!)

Anyway, my sweet husband gave me a gift awhile back that is being worked on. Check out Christy Talbott's site (look right). You'll see by babies!

I will be back with Ny News. I have to fix my camera and finish up the school year. I am looking forward to some lazy summer days!!!!

xxoo, JGN

Becca in Swing

This picture was taken in Dec. 2008 by my friend Alison. She uploaded it to her facebook page, Emily tagged it so now it's with my pictures. I love this picture of Boo. I find myself going to my facebook page just to look at it. (never occurred to me to save it and put it here or print & frame it. which I'm going to do.) Becca's first year was tough. Her first 4 months were down right awful. Her constant crying, not sleeping & more crying, and the guilt of "what have I done. We had 2 happy, easy kids and I ruined our lives by wanting one more" was bad. I had baby blues and lack of sleep and crying were only making it worse. My thoughts were dark at times and I cry now thinking back. I will never forget the relief I felt when I found the reason for her crying. Then the dread of what that meant for me and her. I gave up all milk and continued nursing. After 2 months, the crying had stopped, but the eczema and blood in her stool remained. Her GI doctor had me stop nursing and put her on special formula that did wonders in a short amount of time. Now I am careful about what I feed her and we all have adjusted our eating habits for Becca and for the better. (you really don't need butter or cheese on veggies) There are tough times when people are eating something yummy (cupcakes) and she can't have one, but for the most part, her life is normal. She is thriving in spite of her allergy.

When I look at this picture, I get teary eyed. I love her so deeply. I think about the joy she has brought all of us. I see the funny, smart, sweet kid she is becoming. I am simply happy to be her mother.

Biggies

Molly had a "JK playdate" on Saturday. The JKers from St. Catherine's were joined by the JK boys from St. Christopher's for a morning of fun in the gym. It is a way for the boys and girls to mix and get to know each other. It wasn't very surprising that the boys stuck together and the girls stayed together.

Molly and Brookie.

Peyton, Georgia, and Molly.

Having fun.

This morning when Jack got dressed, he said to me,"Mom, I think I look handsome today. Will you take my picture?" Who could say no to a cutie like Jack. He did look handsome and seemed very happy with himself.

Running to see his picture.

I almost have a kitchen

Our Kitchen is almost complete. The cabinets are in, appliances installed, but have drama with the counter tops. They are all wrong. The stone is wrong and on top of that, they were cut and installed poorly. Right now we are trying to work it out with the kitchen design company, stone wholesaler, and the fabricator. 2 of the three are being helpful, but the guy who cut the stone is not. He did a C- job at best and we are not going to keep them in that condition. So, for now, I have a kitchen that functions, but is not finished.

Cabinets getting put in place.
The day before the cabinets were delivered I asked David (contractor) to see what was behind the bulk head near the frig. We always thought it was the support wall and never thought it could come down. We were wrong. All we found was some electrical wires...

Lazy Susan...

With the bulk head gone, I could turn the frig.

I can't wait to have it all done. It will happen soon. I love my new space and I'm so happy we did it!

Silliness at dinner

Tonight during dinner, Becca kept saying "...hat, hat, hat" pointing to Molly's head band. Molly handed it over and the fun began. Scott was attending a meeting about the proposed new baseball park in Richmond and missed the silliness. We had lots of fun and I am sorry Scott missed it.

I miss my kitchen....

I don't want my old one back mind you. I am just ready for this to be over. I got a call from Rena, (Kitchen Designer) to tell me that the cabinets will arrive to my house on the 20th and David (contractor) will be installing on the 21st!!! YIPPEE!



Here is how things look right now. The breakfast nook area is built. Matt (painter) has primed the seats and we are going to stain the table. View from the back steps.

Dry wall is now up. The wires coming out of the wall is were the under cabinet lights will go. The yellow one is for the microwave hood.

We are eating in the dining room every night. Which isn't awful but I find myself always worried about ruining the table or rug. Gotta get over that..... And, well, as you can see, we are using A LOT of paper products which kills me.

Christmas part 1

So the pictures taken at my parents and on Christmas morning are on my camera which is in the car. Since it is raining and cold I do not want to go out there. So here are some of before Christmas.



I didn't feel excited this year for Christmas this year. I think it was a combination of many things but mostly because my house was in a state of chaos. (still is) Hopefully next year all will better.



Becca in my old rocker in an outfit Molly wore at 18 months!

Becca loved the Christmas tree. By the time I took down the tree, all the ornaments on the bottom had been moved to the top. She loved the lights and would try to pull them off.

Molly, Jack and Becca got a great big package from their great aunt and uncle in Nevada. Since I would not let them open the gifts inside, they settled for the box. It kept them entertained for most of the day. They colored it and called it the Peanut Car. At one point, Becca, was in it being "driven" around the living room.

Becca getting caught!
I thought for a while I was going to do a more posed picture for our Christmas card. While I loved this picture, the one I used seemed better. It was taken one evening when Scott was out of town and I had finished reading to them. They were in our bed laughing and having fun. It was a sweet memory to me and meant more to me than the posed one.
I know they are mine, but, I love them.....

Rotten

My third born is rotten. Spoiled. Molly said today that she is happy I wanted another baby because "...Becca is so cute and I love her. I love having a sister. I'm glad she's here."

These are from Monday. Becca Boo loves Molly's rocking chair. She was rocking herself so hard that you can see my foot keeping her in. Jack also LOVES his baby.

Cutest feet ever!

Out with the old...

I do not understand why, but my pictures always change order now when I upload them....


Anyway. Walls are down. Floors are up. Beams are secure. Here are some home remodeling picts.

This is a shot of the wall down and the beam up to support the floor above. It seems that the kitchen area was added 10 years after the house was built and no one could tell it was baring wall. We will have a slight bulk head but nothing to bad. Another good thing about opening the wall is we could see an old pipe leaking that we didn't know about.
The night before the wall came down I allowed Molly, Jack, and Becca to write on it. They had a blast!!
Never again I told them! :)

Support beam put up today. See all that brick? The walls in my house are 3 bricks wide/deep.

Before construction.

More after. Can you see all the years of funk? 3 letters were found behind the cabinets. One was dated 1967 from a 16 year old boy who wrote it to who ever in the future would find it. He talked about his 5 siblings, neighbors, and politicians who were corrupt, war, and how he and his brother were going to enlist in the Army and go to Vietnam. I wonder what ever really happened to him. Guess I will have to Google him....

These are out of order. This is the window closed up.

Window before in the old and now gone pantry!